Drugs gang sentenced following months of undercover surveillance by specialist officers

The group appeared at Gloucester Crown Court for sentencing in person and via video link on Wednesday 8 and earlier today (Friday 17 May) where they received a combined sentence of 54 years and six months in prison.

The investigation saw Serious and Organised Crime Unit officers conduct covert enquiries into the "POLO" drugs line which allowed them to gather evidence against the offenders and prove their involvement in supplying more than 5kg of class A drugs.

The drugs line was ran by 32-year-old Uwais Hassanjee and his right-hand men Kazi Ahmed and Jamil Ahmed, both 23-years-old.

Hassanjee, who has past convictions for drug dealing, chose the name for his drugs line as it was also his nickname. This was used to his advantage in the drugs trade creating a brand which his 300 customers could recognise and trust.

He played a leading role and was the controlling influence on others in the group. He would source bulk quantities of the Class A drugs heroin and cocaine and periodically take them to Gloucestershire himself for onward supply or employ a group of people to transport and supply the drugs on his behalf.

Surveillance officers observed as Hassanjee recruited 24-year-old Bradley McPhee, 30-year-old Daniel Brady/Darby and later 21-year-old Ciaran Winser, who were living in Blackburn and Leicester at the time, into the conspiracy with the promise of a lavish lifestyle and free accommodation at high end rental properties in Cheltenham.

On 15 September 2022 officers detained the three men whilst they appeared to be in the process of dealing drugs. Searches of the property uncovered a total of 60.27g of crack cocaine worth £4,500 and 153.1g of heroin worth £3,560. Cash was counted and found to total £2,651.76

A number of videos were recovered of Hassanjee's dealers filming themselves, the money they had made and the drugs they were supplying. Some of his dealers were so happy in their work that they recorded videos to recruit friends to come and join them. 

In one video McPhee was seen to tell friends that he was “having his last spliff in Blackburn town as Bradley is going to Gloucestershire for a long, long time” and in another said he was "the biggest grafter you’ll ever see, won’t come across a grafter like me”.

A month later, a further runner, 21-year-old Hassan Ahmed, was identified to be working for Hassanjee in Cheltenham while under supervision of Kazi Ahmed.

On 19 October 2022 officers saw a taxi leaving Hassanjee’s address in Leicester and heading towards Gloucestershire. The vehicle was intercepted as it entered Cheltenham and officers found Kazi Ahmed and 19-year-old Emily Barbosa in the car along with a bag of Class A drugs in the boot.

This was found to contain a block of heroin weighing 248g, and 37.7g of cocaine compacted into a solid with some residual powder. An additional 26.3g of cocaine, which had been divided into 39 wraps making a total of 64g, was found in Kazi Ahmed's coat pocket.

In November of 2022 officers were watching an address in York Street, Cheltenham, where Hassanjee had housed and was supervising his latest drugs runner 24-year-old Leevi Grieve. 

These officers saw a vehicle arrive which had travelled from the Leicestershire area. They forced entry into the address to arrest the occupants and found Hassanjee, Jamil Ahmed and Grieve in possession of a kilogram of drugs along with large quantities of cash.

Sameer Khan, aged 20, whose involvement stopped by the time of his arrest, was one of Hassanjee's trusted drivers and transported the group between Leicester and Cheltenham. He also drove others to deliver drugs around Cheltenham. 

Khan admitted to driving Hassanjee but was unaware that he was couriering drugs. He said that when he found out, he stopped working for Hassanjee.

As with McPhee, Darby, Winser and Grieve, 28-year-old Lukas Januf had also been recruited by Hassanjee to come and deal drugs in Cheltenham. His involvement had also stopped prior to arrest.

All of this activity provided investigating officers with evidence to suggest that approximately £7,000 was being made by the group each day from dealing Class A drugs. This was an enterprise worth hundreds of thousands of pounds for those in charge, money gained by targeting vulnerable drug users within Gloucestershire.

The group received the following sentences:

• Uwais Hassanjee- jailed for 10 years and seven months
• Kazi Ahmed- jailed for eight years and three months
• Jamil Ahmed- jailed for six years and 10 months
• Sameer Khan-jailed for six years and 10 months
• Bradley McPhee- jailed for seven years
• Daniel Darby- jailed for five years and four months plus nine months concurrent for perverting the course of justice
• Ciaran Winser- two years suspended sentence, 250 hours of unpaid work, a £156 surcharge fee and £50 fine
• Lukas Januf- jailed for five years and two months and given a £190 surcharge fee
• Leevi Grieve- jailed for four years and six months
• Emily Barbosa- two years suspended sentence, 250 hours of unpaid work and a £156 surcharge fee
• Hassan Ahmed- 20 months suspended for two years,150 hours of unpaid work and a £156 surcharge fee

Detective Inspector Matt Phillips from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit said: "I hope that these sentences will send out an extremely strong message to anyone who plans on committing similar offences.

"We would like to remind drug dealers that you are not untouchable or above the law as officers at Gloucestershire Constabulary will work tirelessly to gather the evidence that we need to secure a conviction against you."

Christine Hart, Crown Advocate at CPS South West added: "The level of arrogance displayed in the videos and photographs is staggering. Far from being a ‘victimless’ way to make money, drug-related crime is corrosive – it damages not only those involved in buying and selling and their families, but the communities in which they live. 

"The CPS is committed to working with the police to disrupt the supply of drugs by bringing those involved to justice and ensuring they do not profit from their criminality.

"This was a particularly complex investigation by Gloucestershire SOCU and it was a privilege to be able to work alongside them and provide advice from the very first arrest."

Following the conclusion of the case, officers were commended by HHJ Lawrie KC who stated: "The investigation into this large-scale supply operation was carried out by what can only be described from all that I read and saw as a truly dedicated and highly skilled team of officers."

Operation Pontus sought to develop intelligence around Serious and Organised Crimes Groups operating in Gloucestershire; to disrupt this activity and to obtain successful prosecutions for offenders linked to the identified criminality.

Anyone who has concerns or intelligence about drug dealing can report this via the following link https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/soh/seen-or-heard/.

Alternatively you can report information anonymously through the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting their website: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously

Uwais Hassanjee

Kazi Ahmed

Jamil Ahmed

Sameer Khan

Bradley McPhee

Daniel Brady/Darby

Ciaran Winser

Lukas Januf

Leevi Grieve

Emily Barbosa

Hassan Ahmed